THE achievement of a local cyle speedway club has helped Sport England reach a national landmark.

Astley and Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Cycle Speedway Club has been awarded Clubmark accreditation for being a well run club and it has taken the total number of sports clubs to achieve the award to 1000.

The club now has 45 members and in the past year has seen one of its members become the first ever female to win an outdoor British Individual title, as well as signing the current European Senior and Junior Individual Champions.

Astley and Tyldesley has been recognised as having reached high national standards of good management, coaching, equal opportunities and safety.

The Sport England's Clubmark scheme has now achieved 1000 fully accredited clubs in 20 different sports. It means that the scheme is rapidly becoming the established quality standard for all sports clubs in the country.

Sport England's Chief Executive Roger Draper said: "Congratulations to Astley and Tyldesley on their Clubmark award. It is not easy to reach the standards demanded by scheme so Astley and Tyldesley should be very proud of all they have achieved.

"The Clubmark scheme is really gaining momentum. It is good that we have 1000 accredited clubs but perhaps even more encouraging is that over a thousand more clubs have applied to join."

Mike Hack, club coach, received their award from cyclings Olympic track sprinter Barney Storey and Sport Englands North West Development Manager, Clint Godfrey as part of a series of events across the country to mark the 1000 club landmark.